violence | Poemattic: Poetry and Art for the Soul

Tag Archives: violence

Sickened Again

Posted on 4 Aug 2019 by Melba Christie at Poemattic

I spent three glorious days with grandchildren. They lift me up in ways I cannot even describe. I sat to write some poems to post for the next few days. I was so engrossed in my grandkid’s visit that I did not watch the news or read a newspaper. I just heard of the mass shootings that have occured within the last 15 hours of so. I am sickened again. My heart hurts. I watched and listened to the expressions of the victim’s families. I am sickened again at the thought that a mother who was shopping for school supplies was killed as she shielded her two month old child. I am sickened to the point of nauseum.

Will this to pass in a few days after the media stops interviewing victims and victim’s families? I am sickened again because I know the answer. Nothing will be done. Nothing will be done folks.

Hatred is winning! Here is my poem to express my personal grief. I am sickened and identify with all the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles and every other person who is as sad and sickened as I am right now.

Bang, Bang, you are dead!

Hatred still lives in some hearts!

How do we kill HATE?

What will take for true action to happen?

I am sickened. My heart hurts

Does your heart hurt too?

Then what are we going to do?

It is really up to us!

You have to know it’s true.

It really is up to me and you.

God help us all!

Poetry

Deep Sadness

Posted on 8 May 2019 by Melba Christie at Poemattic

I watched this young boy declare

on live National TV

that he was prepared to go down fighting

he picked up a bat;

thinking he could fight off

a killer with a gun.

Did not catch his name

but I will never forget his sweet face.

This statement saddened me so much.

My guess is that he was maybe ten years old at most.

Tragedy by gunfire once again

entered a habitat of learning,

A charter school,

and robbed youngsters of their childhood once again

and ripped them of their innocence once again.

Deep sadness!

Fifteen shootings and only

19 weeks of school!

2 weeks, 2 shootings, and two brave young men murdered.

Deep sadness!

Rage, Prayers and We continue to just watch.

Evil!

More prayers!

When?

Where?

How many more?

Deep sadness!

Deep Sadness!

“Now comes the pain of truth, to whom ’tis pain;

o folly! for to bear all naked truths,

and to envisage circumstance, all calm,

that is the top of sovereignty.”

John Keats

Poetry

Freeway, No way!

Posted on 22 Oct 2015 by Melba Christie at Poemattic

I just read about little four-year old Lliana (Lilly) Rose Garcia who died as a result of senseless road rage violence. I cannot begin to imagine the shock and trauma for her older brother Isaac as he watched her become lifeless. My heart breaks every time I hear an innocent child is killed because adults get angry and do not know how to control their rage. This is happening too many times. It is appalling, disgusting and sickening.

My prayers are with the Gracia family. I wrote this poem to honor Lilly:

Ephemeral rage

a life snuffed senselessly

a freeway, No way!

Never mind the traffic signs

Speed limits or laws

Basic humanity should rule

no respect for life anymore

Innocent child with

Beautiful Big Brown Eyes

mesmerize the angels

waiting for Lilly

Tragedy Strikes Again

Posted on 20 Jun 2015 by Melba Christie at Poemattic

I would be remiss if I did not offer my condolences to the families of the victims gunned down Wednesday while at a bible study meeting at their church in Charleston, South Carolina. It saddens me deeply that violence strikes again. I dread the questions my oldest grandson will have about this. What do you say to an eight year old who believes that church is a safe haven. For that matter that school is a safe place to be as well.

There are many issues at play with this particular incident. Or are they the same issues that come back to haunt us again and again. When will it stop? I believe that love will prevail. I believe that goodness strikes out evil. We need to take whatever time is necessary and talk to our children about what it is that makes us human. We must help them understand our biology. We all bleed the same. Our hearts (even when not very healthy) will beat to keep us alive. We all need to breathe, eat and sleep. We all want to be loved. We all need to love somebody. And when someone dies, it does not matter what language we speak; or what color our skin is, or what religion or faith we observe, we grieve with a hole left in our hearts and tears filling up our eyes. The love we feel is immense and never leaves us.

It is very simple actually this humanity of ours. We are built in a way that is so complex, interrelated, and interdependent that no one has been able to replicate what we know to be a human being.

The great phenomena is that it is indeed a very simple construct. We all need each other. Our diversity and our sameness is equally phenomenal. Senseless murder and violence hurts us all. One family member said, “Every fiber of my body hurts.” She lost a son who was her hero. Children are not suppose to die before their parents. It is not suppose to be the rule.

Our humanity must take charge and stand up tall and spread the word. We are one. A part of a whole. I am a part of you, of this planet, and you are a part of me. It is as simple as that. Call me a dreamer (I think someone said this once before.) but it is time that we take action. I know that I am not the only one. Love must win! Our humanity must be victorious.

“Peace is not a season; it must be a way of life.”

Journey

Posted on 23 Oct 2012 by Melba Christie at Poemattic

I just learned through the media that the missing child I alluded to in last post (poem) was found dead. I cannot imagine the pain the family must be going through. I can only express my deepest condolences in another poem. I do not know that this poem will even reach the girl’s family but my heart aches. Every time I read or hear about another child missing my heart skips a beat. I remember the one time my daughter roamed away from us at the mall. It was the longest and most agonizing 15 minutes of my life. My throat became so dry I could barely speak. My husband became so pale it was as if someone had drained the blood from his body. She had been sitting in the book store the entire time not realizing that we were worried sick looking for her. When we saw her walking back towards us along side the Mall’s security guard I thought I would collapse from the sigh of relief. So I know that desperate feeling one gets when you know your child is missing. All it takes is a minute and your life can change forever.

I do not know all the details of this horrendous crime. The investigation is still fresh. But if indeed someone took this child’s life to steal her bicycle then my heart breaks even more. What a senseless, cruel, inhuman, barbaric act. Only heartless, brainless fools are capable of such a thing. What is happening to some of our youth? How does a bicycle become more valuable than a human life? What can we do to stop the craziness? How do we protect our children?

Here is my poem dedicated to the parents of the victim of this recent tragedy. God be with this family to help them cope with the pain.

A garden full of sweet smelling flowers has begun to grow

getting ready to greet you and invite you to the show

Your parents are aware

and know you must be there

among the angels

but of course they will miss you very much

and long to touch

your face as when they’d tiptoe into your room at night,

to kiss you on the forehead and say goodnight.

Now you are out of sight

to them and to your friends